from Tom Reed of Puck-Rakers at the Columbus Dispatch,

The Blue Jackets coach loves to say the organization gets and deserves “zero respect” around the NHL. For the longest time, the candid observation was refreshing and apt. Nowadays, it’s about as believable as announced attendances at Cleveland Browns’ and Florida Panthers’ games.

The team earned another heaping handful of respect with a 7-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins inside a soldout Nationwide Arena on Thursday night. The impressive result ran the franchise-record winning streak to 11 games and sent the Blue Jackets to the top of the Metro Division and league standings.

The squad is 22-5-4, and it hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since the season’s first two contests. Nobody is saying the Blue Jackets have arrived – that would be a ludicrous statement for an organization yet to win its first playoff series. There is, however, a healthy appreciation for the club Tortorella and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen are building.

“They’re a good team,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “They’re a straight-forward team. There’s no surprises. They play hard. They finish checks. They block shots. They have a balanced attack. They have a real good power play. And their goalie is making big saves for them. So it’s a pretty good formula for wins.”

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Game highlights are below...